Carroll County GaArchives Biographies.....Harris, Sampson W. 1838 - uk
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E. Robertson lrober@plantationcable.net July 27, 2004, 12:33 am
Author: MEMOIRS OF GEORGIA
SAMPSON W. HARRIS, judge of Coweta circuit, Carrollton, Carroll Co., Ga.,
son of Sampson W. and Paulina (Thomas) Harris, was born in Alabama, in 1838.
His great-grandfather, Simpson Harris, was a native of Wales, and emigrated to
Virginia before the revolutionary war. He came to Georgia in 1795 and settled
in the woods. His grandparents were Stephen W. and Sarah (Watkins) Harris. His
grandfather was one of the first graduates of the University of Georgia,
Athens, Ga., was an eminent lawyer, and for many years a judge of the superior
court. The father of the subject of this sketch was born in Elbert county, Ga.,
Feb. 23, 1809, graduating from the University of Georgia in 1828, and removed
to Alabama in 1837, where he practiced law and rose rapidly professionally and
politically. He represented the Fourth Congressional district of Alabama for
ten years and died in Washington, while in congress, in April, 1857. Judge
Harris was reared on the plantation, and received a good common school
education. He
entered the university of Georgia, in 1853, and graduated in 1857; studied law
and was admitted to the bar in Oglethorpe county, Ga., and entered upon the
practice. In 186r he enlisted in Company K (Capt. John T. Lofton) Sixth Georgia
regiment, which was assigned to Gen. A. H. Colquitt's command. He served
through the war, and was in many hard fought battles. He was seriously wounded
and was captured by Sherman's army just before the surrender, but was paroled.
He entered the army as first lieutenant, and was gradually promoted until he
reached a colonelcy just before the close of the war. After the war he planted
a few years, in Chambers county, Ala., and then resumed his law practice. He
moved into Georgia in the seventies, and was a member of the constitutional
convention of 1877. That some year. also, he was appointed solicitor-general of
the Coweta circuit, which office he held until 1880, when he was elected judge
of the circuit-a position he still holds. In May, 1894, Gov. Northen tendered
him the office of secretary of state to fill a vacancy, but he declined the
appointment. In 1866 Judge Harris was married in Alabama to Miss Lucy, daughter
of Henry and_
Emily (Watkins) Todd. This union has been blessed with six children: H. F.,
physician, graduate of Atlanta medical college, and of Jefferson medical
college, Philadelphia, been in practice three years; Sampson; Stephen, graduate
of Atlanta medical college; Isobella, Paulina, and Lucy. Judge Harris is a
master Mason.
Additional Comments:
“MEMOIRS OF GEORGIA”, Historical and Biographical Sketches
by S. Emmett Lucas, Jr., Published in 1896. Transcribed by Elizabeth Robertson
July 2004.
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